OCT. 19 IS MAMMOGRAM DAY

October 19 is National Mammography Day, a good time to review when you should have a mammogram.

A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast used by doctors to detect breast cancer early, before it has spread. Mammography can reveal the presence of small cancers up to two years before they can be felt by you or your physician. With early diagnosis and treatment, you have up to a 90 percent chance of surviving breast cancer. Since mammography is not 100 percent accurate, however, it is also very important to practice monthly breast self examination.

Since the risk of breast cancer increases with age, all women who have reached middle age should add mammograms to a health routine that includes monthly breast self-exams and annual physician breast exams. If you are age 50 or older, you should have a mammogram each year. If you are between the ages of 40 and 49, you are urged to have a mammogram every one to two years.

Most physicians urge women in the 40s to have periodic mammograms, and most states now require insurance companies to cover or partially cover the procedure's cost, which generally is between $100 and $125.

The majority of states also provide some coverage under Medicaid, while Medicare covers mammograms every two years for women over 65.

A mammography can be obtained when your doctor orders the test for you at a nearby hospital, clinic, or special mammography center. Some physicians have the mammography units in their own offices.

Check that the X-ray equipment is used only for mammography and that it is certified by the American College of Radiology.

During the procedure, the doctor or a technician will ask you to remove your clothes from the waist up and will position you in front of the X-ray machine.

Two smooth plates will be placed around one of your breasts to flatten it so the greatest amount of tissue can be examined. Sometimes the pressure of the plates causes brief discomfort. After the X-ray, the procedure is repeated on the other breast.

Some women are concerned about the risk of radiation from mammograms. The equipment and techniques used today are quite safe, exposing you to a very low dose of radiation.

Talk to your physician about any concerns you have. Single, free copies of "Mammography" (AP076) are available by sending a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope along with the name of the booklet to: The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Resource Center, 409 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024.